1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pattern games, wherein during the course of play, a player is required to memorize a specific pattern. More particularly, the present invention game and method of play relate to games where a player is provided with a momentary glimpse of a pattern, and is then required to remember that pattern in order to advance in the game during the course of play.
2. Prior Art Statement
The prior art is replete with different types of memory games that require players to memorize patterns. Through the years, such pattern games have been created in many forms. For instance, there are many different types of card games that require players to remember the position and the image of a specific card among a plurality of cards. Many board games have also been created, where players must remember patterns hidden under game pieces. Such board games are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,458 to Snyder, entitled Memory Maze Game.
However, with modern games, patterns are typically presented to players in an electronic format. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,638 to Morrison, entitled Microprocessor Controlled Game Apparatus, an electronic display board is provided that contains a hidden maze pattern. Players must try to discover the hidden maze pattern using trial and error and by remembering the parts of the maze pattern previously discovered.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,482 to Goldfarb, an electronic pattern memory game is disclosed. In this game, lights associated with different buttons are lit in some predetermined sequence. After the game electronically lights the sequence of lights, a player must push the various buttons in the same sequence as the lights that were lit. If the player is successful, the sequence of the pattern is increased in length to make the game increasingly difficult.
From the above, it will be understood that many games exist that require a player to memorize a particular pattern and remember that pattern in order to advance in the play of the game. Such memory games come in many formats including cards games, board games and electronic games. The present invention game and method of play provides a new type of pattern recognition game that can be applied to the known formats of card games, board games and electronic games. The present invention game and method of play require a player to use his/her pattern recognition skills and short term memory in a new and entertaining way, as will be described and claimed below.
The present invention is a game and its associated method of play. The game contains a plurality of object areas in which game objects may be placed. Game objects are randomly added to, or removed from, the object areas one by one. Before the addition of each new object, the player is made to visualize a neutral field of play that is either completely filled with game objects or devoid of game objects. As such, each time a player views the object areas, an additional game object has been either added or removed, but the player does not know which part of the pattern has just been changed. Using memories of the object areas when last viewed, a player tries to identify which of the game objects present is the game object that was just added or removed. If the player selects correctly, the cycle is repeated and another game object is randomly added. If the player selects the wrong game object, the game ends.
The present invention game and method of play can be configured as software, an electronic game, a board game or a card game. In all formats, the method of play remains consistent.